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ThuJun 26

World Refrigeration Day – June 26, 2025

World Refrigeration Day is on June 26, and we are all set to celebrate and appreciate the refrigeration sector for making our lives better than ever before! Did you know that the first mechanical refrigerator was made more than 300 years ago? Before that, people depended on storing edibles in cellars or underwater to keep them cool and safe from bacteria. Modern refrigeration revolutionized the way of living, and it is considered an essential part of life. Now nearly all households in the United States have at least one refrigerator, according to a 2009 report by the U.S Department of Energy.

History of World Refrigeration Day

Refrigeration completely changed the way people live their lives. It gave them comfort, better food and drink storage options, and even helped in saving lives. This wonder of science and technology is everywhere around us. It helps the surgeon operate in air-conditioned hospitals, which reduces the possibility of infection by bacteria, our food and drinks remain safe to consume even after weeks, it is used in spaceships to control the temperature, and it is even used for sports! On World Refrigeration Day, we celebrate the wonder of refrigeration. It was first celebrated on June 26, 2019.

Refrigeration has always been a necessity for people through the ages. People in China used to cut and store ice around 1000 B.C. Indians and Egyptians kept earthen pots outside at night to form ice. In the 18 century, Europeans wrapped salted ice in flannel and kept it underground.

The onset of modern refrigeration started with William Cullen, who observed the cooling tendency of the evaporation process in 1720. In 1835, Jacob Perkins, the “father of the refrigerator,” was granted the first patent for a vapor compression cycle, which used liquid ammonia. The title of his patent was “apparatus and means for producing ice, and in colling fluids.”

The popularity of refrigeration grew by leaps and bounds in the 19 century. It was widely used first by breweries and then by the meat industry. Slowly it became essential for normal households.

World Refrigeration Day timeline

1396 A.D.
Ice Storage Warehouses are Built

Ice storage warehouses are built in Seoul, South Korea, which use ice from the Han River, and these warehouses still stand today.

1756
Public Demonstration of Artificial Refrigeration

William Cullen holds the first documented public demonstration of artificial refrigeration.

1904
The American Society of Refrigerating Engineers

John Edwin Starr is elected the first president of the American Society of Refrigerating Engineers after it is founded.

1965
The First Working Dilution Refrigerator is Invented

The first working dilution refrigerator is invented at the University of Manchester.

2005
The Refrigerator Becomes a Household Essential

Refrigerators are present in 99% of American households.

World Refrigeration Day FAQs

Why is World Refrigeration Day celebrated?

It is celebrated annually to raise awareness about the technology used in refrigeration and to appreciate the world of refrigeration, which has made great advancements in lives.

Who discovered refrigeration?

In 1899, an American inventor, Albert T. Marshall patented the first mechanical refrigerator.

Why is it called a refrigerator?

The term is derived from the Latin verb ‘refrigerare’ and the adjective ‘frigus,’ which means ‘cold.’

World Refrigeration Day Activities

  1. Read up about the inventions in the world of refrigeration

    It’s time to pay our respects to the refrigeration world, and what’s better than reading up about the inventions? Read about the inventors and what they went through to bring refrigeration to your home.

  2. Attend webinars and talks on refrigeration

    On World Refrigeration Day, various organizations hold webinars and seminars on the importance of refrigeration as well as the career options in this field. Join these seminars to learn more.

  3. Decorate your refrigerator

    Spend the day decorating your refrigerator with magnets and art you made for World Refrigeration Day. Unleash your artistic style and go crazy with the decorations.

5 Interesting Facts About Refrigerators

  1. Haunted refrigerator night is a thing!

    It is celebrated on 30 October, and it is a night full of spooky things.

  2. The first commercial refrigerator

    It was made by General Motors in 1911 and the most popular line was Kelvinator — by 1923, it held 80% of the market.

  3. The world’s largest refrigerator

    It is 16.7 miles long, it’s part of the Large Hadron Collider (a particle accelerator), and is located on the French-Swiss border.

  4. Early installations

    The first refrigerators came in two parts — the machinery was kept in the basement while the icebox was on the floor above — both were connected through wires, meaning you had to cut a hole in your floor.

  5. Refrigerators made supermarkets possible

    Without refrigerators, edible foods could not be transported to places, and it would have been impossible to keep them fresh to sell.

Why We Love World Refrigeration Day

  1. It’s a day to appreciate the wonders of refrigeration

    It took years of unrelenting hard work to achieve the greatness we have today. We spend the day appreciating the work of inventors who invested their lives to give us a comfortable life.

  2. It’s a celebration of refrigerators

    Give yourself this day to appreciate the cool refrigerating devices you have at home. They make your lives immensely easy. Make sure they are working properly and keep them clean.

  3. It’s a perfect day to buy new refrigerating products

    Utilize this day by doing the best thing possible: getting a new product! Indulge in a new refrigerating device and say goodbye to your old devices.

World Refrigeration Day dates

Year Date Day
2025 June 26 Thursday
2026 June 26 Friday
2027 June 26 Saturday
2028 June 26 Monday
2029 June 26 Tuesday